And So It Begins
by Shelly Red
Summary: It's Scarlett's birthday but what will her birthday present be?


Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from GI Joe nor do I own. Please don't sue. This is my first fanfic so please be kind, but feedback is welcomed and encouraged. Enjoy.

**_And So It Begins_**

It was Scarlett's birthday. She had been with GI Joe for nearly two and a half years now. It was incredible how time flies, and how time can heal and change a person. When she started out with this new team, she had shielded her heart and soul from all the guys. She had known love in the workplace before, and it never ended well. When Snake Eyes had joined the team, she had kept him at arms length, and subsequently, there was never any foundation to rekindle their lost relationship. That relationship was over years and years ago, no sense in going back down that road again. The military frowned upon the fraternization of its men and women in its special forces, but it seemed that most personnel were able to look the other way as long as the relationship was kept civil and did not get in the way of work or duty.

Lady Jaye and Flint was the only successful relationship on base to date. They had their ups and downs but always managed to leave their disagreements and jealous tendencies out of the battlefield. Sometimes working together on the battlefield repaired any harsh words that were said before the battle. It wasn't always smooth sailing, and Scarlett had intervened numerous times to smooth out whatever bump in the road caused their spat. She had gotten real good at bringing them both to their knees and begging for her to stop interrogating them and just let them get back together. Occasionally, she had corralled Duke into running interference for her by having him talk to Flint, so she could straighten out Lady Jaye or vise versa. Duke was a good sport about the whole relationship and never seemed to mind helping Scarlett out on these little "missions of love", as he called them.

Duke was her partner, and she had known him since the beginning of the Joes. He had intrigued her at their first meeting, and the two of them had quickly formed a solid and trusting friendship. They used each other as a sounding board. When a mission failed or didn't turn out the way it was supposed to, they would talk about the "what ifs" and "why didn't its" for hours. Each listened to the other supportively and offered suggestions upon improvement or what happened that could not happen the next time.

There had always been talk among the team that Duke and Scarlett were an item. It was always dismissed as a rumor, but lately Scarlett had this feeling that maybe the team could see more objectively than she could at Duke's actions. Lady Jaye had of course started the whole "Duke has the hots for you" speech, which just threw Scarlett's emotions in turmoil. Lady Jaye only told her so she would open her eyes and see for herself what the rest of the team had noticed.

Eventually, day by day, Scarlett became aware of the little subtle things that Duke did towards her that could be construed as something more than friendship. The long late night talks about nothing in particular, or recently, his absolute insistence that she review everybody's mission reports that would be sent to the pentagon. The catch was that she had to review these reports while he was present. She would have liked to take them to her quarters to analysis while she relaxed, but Duke wanted these "sessions" to be done in the office where he was available for any clarification. These meetings would last most of the evening and into the night. She spent less and less time at her quarters, which she shared with Lady Jaye. She slept in her bed, showered in her bathroom, and lived the rest of her life on base in the training rooms or the offices, Duke's more than hers. Of course, this was the beginning of a new rumor, and it was all downhill from there.

As much as she hated to admit it, Ace, her dear friend and comrade, started most of the rumors. He and Wild Bill teased her ruthlessly, but the more that the teasing and jokes circulated the base, the more Scarlett wanted to start to believe them. The only thing that had happened between Duke and her, to this point, was the night after she had fought Storm Shadow and saved Snake Eyes' life. The next morning they had both insisted that it was the after affects of the battle and the Demerol wearing off from their injuries. They had worked past the awkwardness, but now she wasn't so sure if they really were telling each other the truth that next morning. She was confused the morning after that kiss, and she now believed that Duke used the battle and drugs as an excuse to ease her mind and his. It was against the rules and regulations, and he was her boss, her CO. Things could spin out of control and end up hurting one or both of them, and their careers were on the line. Even though that kiss happened two years ago, she could still feel the warmth and desire from it.

And then it happened.

Scarlett was working in her office when Duke knocked on her door. She immediately tried to suppress the smile that was forming on her lips from just the sight of him standing in her doorway but couldn't.

"Happy Birthday, Red," he said for the millionth time today.

"Stop it," she recoiled, embarrassed by the attention that he had showered on her today.

"Never, my dear. Your birthday only comes around once a year, so today is your day."

"I'm glad they only come once a year because they only bring bad news with them. 'Hello, Shana, this is your wake up call. Another year of your life down the drain.' Birthdays! Who needs them?" She said sarcastically.

Duke knew she didn't look forward to her birthdays, but who did? He remembered all of the harassing that she endured last year when she turned 25. All of that 'quarter of a century year old' crap from the entire team had gotten old very quick.

"Look, you can't be upset because it's your birthday. Everybody gets older and wiser; you live and learn. But I've got to tell you that I think the older you get, the more beautiful you get," Duke said trying to get her to crack a smile.

"I'm sorry, thank you," she mustered a smile.

"Good, now that you are not grumpy anymore, it is time for your birthday dance." Duke shut the office door and went over to Scarlett's radio and turned it on. He started switching the channels until he found Brooks & Dunn's song "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You" beginning to play on the radio. "Perfect. Come on birthday girl."

He extended his hand, but as she tried to protest, he came around the side of her desk and gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. He whisked her into a nice slow dance where their bodies just seemed to mesh together and get lost in each other. Duke whispered into her ear that he had this song written especially for her. She laughed at him, and they continued to sway and move with the beat. He quietly sang the words to her, and she just continued to melt into him.

Scarlett felt that she could stay this way forever. Duke reached up, grabbed her scrunchie, and pulled it out of her hair, letting her fiery mane flow freely, as they whirled on the office floor. He loved to see her with her hair cascading loosely around her face and body. She still remembered the first time he had seen her with her hair down. She thought that he was going to have to literally pick his jaw up from floor and reattach it to his face. She kept her hair back most of the time because it just got in the way, but at night or when she was reading his damn reports, she instinctively pulled the ponytail free and let her hair relax. She knew that he stared at her as she brushed her fingers through her hair, massaging her head. It was relaxing, and she loved the way it unnerved and distracted him. She could find other things to do than read these reports, but if he was going to make her read them, then she was going to tantalize him and watch him suffer.

As the song was ending and a new song began, Duke pulled her back just enough for him to tilt her head up to his. They stared into each other's blue eyes. Their eyes searched each other, and suddenly, caught up in the moment, she reached her hand up to the back of his neck and pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. The kiss was ever so light, but as she tried to pull away from him, he pulled her back for a long, more in depth and passionate kiss. Their mouths parted and their tongues tasted and massaged each other. Scarlett threw the last two years of pent up emotion for this man into that kiss. It seemed that she was not the only one releasing pent up energy and want. As they pulled away for a breath, Scarlett realized that the song playing on the radio was Toby Keith's "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This".

Duke sang the last few lines of the slow country song in her ear.

Scarlett looked into his eyes, searching for a hint that this was just another "caught up in the moment" kiss and tomorrow things would be tense between them again, but this time, she saw no doubt or reservation in Duke's eyes.

"I was a fool the last time I kissed you. I meant it then, and I mean it now. I love you Shana. I have ever since the day I met you."

Scarlett smiled and gave into her passions once more. The two of them spent the next several songs kissing and dancing. What a wonderful birthday present.

The End


End file.
